Vibratory finishing apparatus



Nov. 5, 1968 J. A. ENGEL 3,408,774

VIBRATORY FINISHING APPARATUS Filed April 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l \fAlliho zyflige L B%W%{M/@ V ATTORNEYS J. A. ENGEL Nov. 5, 1968 VIBRATORY FINISHING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1965 INVENTOR Alli 101g E1961 U i S ate Pmflfo,

ST C 91* THE D SQ QS I A vibratory apparatus includes a vibratory tub resiliently'niounted upon a base support by inflatable cushions with a door being at one end of the tub extending substantially to the bottom'thereof and withinfiatable cushions resiliently supporting the base support;-the 1 tub is tilted for unloading by an additional inflatable cushion disposed remote from the door.

I T his invention relates to vibratory finishingand'imore particularly to t e typ of vibratoryfinishing which is suitable for treating pieces of metal of similar material for the purpose of deburring, descaling, 'burnishing, rounding corners and edges, etc.

The vibratory finishing apparatus of the present invention provides an improvement over prior vibratory finishing apparatus. For instance, in prior apparatus, a problem arises when the material has been finished and it is necessary to unload the parts and cleaning media. Various arrangements have been provided with limited success for accomplishing these functions.

An object of this invention is to: provide a vibratory finishing apparatus which effectively unloads the finished parts and cleaning media.

A further object is -to provide such a vibratory apparatus which performs the unloading operation automatically instead of manually.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a study of the following description and drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view similar to FIG. 1 in a different phase of operation;

FIG. 3 is a section taken alone 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the "apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-3; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

In accordance with this invention, the vibratory container is provided with an end door which extends substantially to the bottom of the container. When the finishing operation is completed the container and its entire support structure is tilted by, for example, an inflatable cushion disposed remote from the end door. Accordingly, the end of the container having the door is inclined at a lower level than the remainder of the container and both the finished parts and the cleaning media automatically flow through the door without the necessity of manual unloading.

As shown in the drawings, the vibrator assembly 1 is formed of an open end tub 3 which has a peripheral inwardly extending top ledge 5 and an outwardly extending top ledge 6. Ledge 5 provides a convenient gauge for protective liner 23 as best shown in FIG. 3.

The tub 3 is fixed to a base support 13 by lower extensions 1-5 of the end panels of the tub 3.

As shown in FIG. 3 protective liner 23 completely covers the interior of tub 3. Protective liner 23 is formed ice ,of a suitable rubber which is non-corrosive to the liquid which may be used in the finishing treatment of the workpieces. The rubber liner 23 also protects the inner surface of the tub 3 from damage brought about by contact with the abrasivemedia or other finishing media for the workpieces which may knock or rub against the inner surface of the tub and thus might damage it or the workpieces. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 and wall 7 of vtub 3 includes a door 9 which extends substantially the entire lengthof wall 7. Door 9 also has a protective liner which mates with liner 23 of the tub to form an uninterrupted protective liner surface along all areas of the tub. Additionally door 9 is edged with a sealing material to prevent leakage of liquids from tub 3 during operation when door 9 is closed by locking ,arrangement 11. v

Support 13 is resiliently mounted upon base 15. by a plurality of air bags 40. Air bags are connected to air supply and discharge mechanism (not shown) wherein which the height of the air bags can be adjusted by adjusting the air pressure within the cushions 40. By varying the height of the air bag and the air pressure therein, the rate and degree of gyration or vibration is varied as desired according to the particular requirements of the finishing operation. These air bags are better described in Patent No. 3,063,207.

The vibration or gyration of tub 3 is accomplished for example in a manner described in co-pending application 340,225 filed Jan. 27, 1964, now Patent No. 3,263,373, issued Aug. 2, 1966. As shown in FIGS. 1-3 a vibratory shaft arrangement generally identified as 50 is connected in underslung manner to the undersurface of platform 13 to provide a gyratory motion to tub 3; the motion being transmitted through air cushions 40. This arrangement 50 includes electric motor 66 for driving a drive shaft 60 which is housed in a bearing support 64 through a variable speed drive arrangement such as a Reeves pulley type arrangement housed in housing 68. Such a drive arrangement is also described and disclosed in Patent No. 3,063,207 referred to above.

The drive shaft operates a driven shaft 54 upon which is mounted an eccentric weight 56 to impart the gyratory motion to tub 3 as described in copending application S.N. 340,225 filed Jan. 27, 1964, now Patent No. 3,263,373, issued Aug. 2, 1966. Base support 15 includes a pair of supporting rails 44 (FIG. 3) which are in turn supported by air cushions 70. The cushions 70 are housed within telescoping upper and lower units 72 and 74. This is necessary since the height of the air cushion 70 may also be varied by providing an air supplying connection with the cushions 70. This telescoping arrangement is also especially necessary for the pair of cushions disposed under end wall 7 of tube 3 to enable the entire assembly 1 to pivot about these air cushions.

In the operation of the above apparatus, the materials of workpieces to be finished are loaded into the tub along with a suitable grit or other abrasive media, and a liquid treating agent if desired. The workpieces and cleaning media are inserted into the open top of tub. This may be done either by hand or by conveyor arrangement (not shown). Electric motor 66 is then started which drives the drive shaft and driven shaft 54 to rotate the eccentric weight. In view of the eccentric weight 56, the vibrator producing assembly 50 causes the platform 13 to vibrate because of the transmission of the vibratory motion from the assembly 50 and through the bags 40 which support the platform. Since the tub 3 is secured or fixed to the platform 13, it also vibrates and the abrasive medium is made to follow a gyratory or vibratory motion along with the workpieces.

After the operation is completed the electric motor is turned off and the locking mechanism 11 is disengaged from door 9. The entire assembly is thenlifted 6r tilted by inflating cushion or tilting mechanism 36 as later described so that the abrasive media and finished parts are completely unloaded'through the open end 7 of tub 3 as shown in FIG. 2.

FIGS. 4-5 show the details of tilting mechanism 36. As shown therein the tilting mechanism comprises a single airmount or cushion 100 which receives air through inlet 109. Cushion 100 is secured to base plate 102 by means of a plurality of cap screws 103. Base plate 102 is, in turn, mounted on pad 104. The top of cushion 100 is secured to the upper surface of a dished spacer 106 by means of cap screws 108, and spacer 106 is for example secured to a flange or bottom plate of base 15 as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. shows tilting mechanism 36 in the defiated position while FIG. 2 shows cushion 100 expanded to elevate assembly as shown in FIG. 3 Tilting mechanism 36 is mounted on the center line of assembly 1 to uniformly raise the assembly and facilitate the discharge of media and parts from open end 7.

FIG. 5 also schematically shows means for varying the amount of air in bag or cushion 100.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A vibratory apparatus for finishing workpieces comprising a base support, a vibratory tub, inflatable cushion supports connecting said tub with said base support in a fixed upright position, means connected with said base support for vibrating said tub, a door at one end of said tub extending substantially to the bottom of said tub, a plurality of air cushion feet connected to and being below said base support, tilting means connected to said base support remote from said door for rotating said base support and said tub whereby the portion of said tub having said door is at a lower elevation than the remaining portions of said tub, said'plurality of air cushion feet including at least one a'ir cushion foot disposed at an end'of said base support near saidportion of said tub having said door, said tilting means including an inflatable air bag connected to said base support remote from said door, means for varying the amount of air in said air bag to control its height thereof, and said air cushion'foot comprising pivot means whereby inflating said air bag causes said base support to rotate about said'air cushion foot.

Z. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tilting m earis cushion is disposed along the longitudinal axis of said base support. v M

3. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein. a pair of telescopic tubes encircles each of said air cushion feet, one of said telescopic tubes being secured to said base support to move therewith and being disposed over its respective air cushion, and the other of said telescopic tubes being disposed under, its respective cushion whereby it remains relatively stationary with respect to said base support. 1 v

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein aliner ismounted in said tub, said tub having a.-peripheral flange extending inwardly thereof, the top edge of said liner contacting said peripheral flange, and a liner section on said door mating with the liner onthe remainder, of said. tub to provide an uninterrupted liner for said tub and said door.

-' References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/19217 2,114,640 4/1938 Rumharger 241-182 X 2,186,164 1/1940 Brown 241182 3,163,966 1/1965 Moore -1 51-163 3,187,473 6/1965 Puppe 1 51 7- X 6,305,977 2/1967 Kellard 1-1 51-7 X "OTHER REFERENCES 930,163 7/1963- Great Britain.

HAROLD D. WHITEHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

